Feeding device



July 21, 1936. C. T FUETTERER 2,648,606

FEEDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16,. 1932 @lll INVENTOR T 'jig/(1; EY

7 j, 4 mw, iw, f7@ mw ATTO RN EYI Patented `uly 21, 1936 lUNITED STATESFEEDING DEVICE Charles T. Fuetterer, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio ApplicationAugust 16,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to chemical feeding dev vices and contemplates adevice for feeding a water-softening chemical solution to the water tobe softened.

More particularly the objects of the invention are to provide a simple,inexpensive and novel device of this character, to associate the same Yin a novel manner with water-heating means,

and to provide that ,the feeding of the chemical compound shall `beautomatically responsive to the heating of the water.

qfI'he exact nature of this invention together with further objects andadvantages thereof will Vbe apparent from the following descriptiontaken 15 in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which Fig. 1 is an elevation View of an embodiment of the device, partsbeing broken away to show details of constructiom and the parts beingillustrated as positioned before introduction o of the chemical charge;Fig. 2is a View similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the parts aspositioned Vafter introduction of the charge and before feeding thereof`to thewater commences; Fig. 3 is a 1diagrammatic view in elevationshowing the relation of the parts in the water system; and Fig.

Vtis an enlarged detail in section of one of the l. parts employed.

- lWith reference now to the drawing, I is a very, tically disposedhollow cylinder having closures at its ends shown as comprising a cap 2closing its upper end and a head 3 closing itslower end.

.j The cylinder I has an `external connection near .,itslower extremityas at 4, shown as directed ,l through the side of the head 3 and leadingto 5 a riser 5, so that communication with the hollow of the cylinderfrom the connection 4 is by way 1 of pipingv 6 in the `hollow 'I of thehead 3, thence upwardly by way of the riser 5 and to the top of thelatter which is adjacent the upper cylinder v 4:0 cap 2.

, The cylinder is provided with a free or floating piston orV diaphragm8forming a movable parti- 4tion by which the cylinder cavity is dividedinto 1 two compartments of varying volume, one above Y 45 and the otherbelow the piston. This piston has l. a vflange part 9 with a ilexiblesealing washer l0 extending therefrom to maintain a substantial -1 sealagainst the cylinder wall. 'I'he piston is dome-shaped as indicatedhaving a neck II to 50. fit about'the riser 5, and forming an annular"icavity I2 thereabout. --The cavity 1 of the lower cylinder head 3 is#enlarged beyond the diameter of the cylinder I, fso that when thepiston 8 is at the lower extremasf-ity ofV its-trave the sealing lo isbelow the ena of 1932, SerialV No. 629,036

the cylinder, and an annular opening I3 is thus provided communicatingbetween the cylinder space above the piston and the cavity I therebelow.The effect is thus one of a port controlled by the piston. Loweringmovement of the piston 5 is limited by engagement of its neck I I withthe bend of the piping 6. A petcock I4 is provided on the head 3 torelieve the cavity 1. A chemical inlet connection to thecavity isprovided, as indicated by the side connection I5 on the head 3, lo

-leading upwardly by way of pipe I6 to a chemical-receiving funnel orhopper I'I. A shut-oil valveY I8 is provided to control communicationbetween the funnel and the cavity l.A

The hea-d 3 Yis also provided with an outlet conl5 nection I9,downwardly directed from the cavity I and valved as at 28.

The piping associated'with the inlet connection 4 includes thereadjacenta petcock 2|, a

K check valve 22 and a shut-oit valve 23. The ar- 20 rangement of thecheck valve 22 is such that flow may be had to the connection 4 subjectto opening of the valve 23, but reverse flow is prevented.

The device is associated with a water-heating system as indicated Fig. 3wherein appears the 25 water heater 24 and hot water tank 25. The

usualjpiping for such combination is shown and includes cold water inletpiping 26 leading to the tank 25, a cold water connection 2l leadingfrom the bottom of the tank to the bottom of the heater 24, a hot waterconnection 28 leading from the top of the heater to the top of the tankand a hot water outlet connection 29 leading from the top of both heaterand tank. The heater and tank are thus in parallel relation between thecold water inlet 26 and the hot water outlet 29 of the system.

The feeding device is associated generally in a third parallel circuit.The inlet connection 4 by way of the valves 22 and 23 has connection 40by piping 30 with the hot water outlet 28 from the heater. The outletconnection I9 by way of Vthe valve20 has connection through piping 3|with the cold water inlet of the heater. Y

' Operation will be as follows, commencing with 45 the parts asindicated Fig. 1, the petcocks I4 and 2I and the valve I8 being open andthe valves 20 and 23 being closed. The piston 8 being at the bottom ofits stroke and the petcock I4 being open, the cavity of the cylinder Iis completely drained and empty. Likewise the riser 5 and its associatedpiping up to the valve 22 is drained by way of the petcock ZI. Thepetcock I4 is next closed, and the chemical solution introduced by. wayof the funnel I1. The valve I8 being 55 open, the solution flows downinto the cavity 'I and rises in the cylinder. Y Water may similarly beintroduced if Vdilution is prescribed. Flow into the cavity V'I raisesthe piston 8, closing the annular passage I3, rthe piston being causedto float upwardly by the buoyancy of air trapped in 'its cavity I2.'Ifhe'buoyant capacity of this cavity'is preferablysubstantiallysufficient to balance the Yweight of the piston. Some'of the liquid mayrise above the packinglll of the piston-before the latter completelycloses the port I3 but this will be in negligible amount and of noconsequence. Y Y Y As the piston 8 rises, the petcock 2l being open, airis driven off therethrough Yfrom above the piston, by wayof the riser5.7 ,Ihev piston therefore rises responsive solelyto the liquid level ofthe chemical solution introduced. Y -V After introduction of thechemical charge the valve I8 and petcock 2l are closed. The valve 20 Visnext opened. Sinceabove the piston there is Vonly air at atmosphericpressure, and lbelow j the piston thereis connectionV withthe waterline'under the pressure of the water supply to the system, the pistonwill now rise further, com-V I pressing the air above itl untilVattainment of an Y equilibrium of Vpressure on Oppositesides of theVindicated in Fig. 2; This feed takes .place auto-V r' matically in thefollowing manner. As the heatpiston. Cold waterrflows into the cylinderbelow Y the piston by way of the connection I9'as`the piston thus`rises. Y Y v The valve Y20 is next nearly closed, being left open onlya slight amount dependent uponthe rate of feed desired. VThe valveZIlisthereafter` to act as a needle valve.- Y Y The-valve 23 is thenopened,rproviding communicationiromthe hot water end of theV heater 5tothe riserk 5. Since thel air above theV piston is er 24 is operated,owingtothermo-siphorr'eiect Yof the water heated pressure in the hotwater Y line 28 and Yconsequently in the line 30 becomes greater thanpressure in `theV cold water line.; 21 and consequently in theV line 3l.`Thus in'the cylinder] pressureabove the piston V8V becomes Y greaterVthanV that below the piston 8, causing thepiston to lower. There willalways be-air in theV upper end of the cylinder Vsince as 'theV pistonfis displaced downwardly byV water entering'above it through the riser5, this water will Y follow upon the piston .and the displaced in thecylinder."

therebelow Yis forced past thefvalve 2liV and into r the coldrwatercendof the heater. The more the heater is operated and the moretherrno-siphonY inder,l,` because'of the check valve 22; vbutwill Y beVlovveredrfurther upon'the'heater resuming its operationfor the reasonsalready described. Y The piston is thus *inched downwardly-,forcingthechemical solution into Vthe water, with a progressive motionresponsive". to the operationfof r theY heater.

Since the-heater operationfis in turn responsive to'hot Ywater demand,the hot water deliveredrby the-systemis automatically air will not be Yj Y Va free piston providing two compartments,means 1 As the pistonVlowers the chemicalv solution treated with chemical in afixed'proportional amount. Y

After the piston progresses downwardly to open the port I3, the feedingwill continue as before until the chemical in the cavityV 1 isdisplacedV by water entering through the port.

It will be noted that there are two connections between the chemicalcontainer and the water heater, one to the cold water inlet of theheattainer to the cold water inlet'of the heater is the chemical feedingconnection and preferably leads from Ythe bottom of the container asillustrated and described.V The connection from the Vhot water outlet tothe chemical container includes a .U formed by the riser 5 andassociated parts, whereby the effective inlet tothe container is at thetop of the lattereyet of such nature that air cannot leave the containertherethrough except under the described valve manipulation as thecontainer is filled withchemical.

`WhatIclairnis: Y 1

l. Chemical feeding means of th'ewclass described comprising a containerhaving a partition providing two compartments one above theV other,means for connecting the upper compartm'ent` with vthe outlet end ofvwater-heating means, said means including a, riser leading upwardly Vtothe upper part of VVsaid upper compartment andV having associateddraining means, means for connecting the lower compartment with theinlet end of said heating means,

andY means for introducing chemical into said lower compartment, saidpartition being arranged for movementrresponsive to the relative presfVsures in said compartments to vary the relative f volumes thereof, andhaving associated foat means to substantially neutraliae itsv weight. 2.Chemical feeding means of the Yclass described, comprising a containerhaving a lpartition providing two compartments one above'the other,meansfor connecting the upper partl'of the upper compartment with the outletend kof Water-heating means by` way ofa rdrainablfefriser passageleading upwardly 'into said upperjcompartment, meansY for Vconnecting lthe lower-part of the lower compartment with the inlet Pe'nd ofsaidheating means, and means for introducing chemical into said lowercompartment, said partition beingarranged for movement responsive toscribed comprising a cylindrical container having for connectingthe endof one compartment withV the outlet end of water-heating means, means.for connectingthe end of the other compartment with the inlet endof saidheating imeans, and

latter is at the end -of its stroke tddecrease ysaid latter compartmentvolume. j

4. In Vcombination Vwith water-heating means having a cold water inletand a hot water outlet, a chemical container having a chemical-:feedingconnection with said cold water inlet and a connection` with said hotwater outlet', said connections being so arranged that feed will behad-from said container through said feeding'connection responsive tothermo-Siphonefiect producedby V-means-for introducing chemical into thelatter,YV

compartment, said container having port .means providing a bypass aroundsaidipiston when the said heating means, and means in said container forpreventing dilution of the chemical contents thereof from said hot Waterconnection.

5. In combination with Water-heating means having a bottom cold Waterinlet and a top hot Water outlet, a chemical container having a bottomchemical feeding connection with said cold water inlet and a topconnection with said hot water outlet, whereby feed will be had fromsaid container through said feeding connection responsive tothermo-Siphon eifect produced by said heating means, said top connectionincluding a riser leading from said hot water outlet upwardly into thetop part of said container, and means for draining said riser, wherebyin said feeding operation said container Will have an air pocketeffective between said hot water outlet and the` chemical containercontents.

6. In a Water heating system having a closed heating circuit including aheater and a storage tank to provide accumulation of heated Water bythermosiphonic flow within said circuit, whereby continuous low capacityoperation of said heater may satisfy intermittent high capacity demandson said system, a chemical container connected in said system to providean auxiliary circuit wherein said heater and container are in seriesrelation, whereby the container contents may have displacement in thesystem toward the heater inlet dependent upon thermosiphonic pressuregenerated in said heater, the connections for said container includingmeans automatically preventing reverse ow therein, whereby saiddisplacement will be proportional to said heater operation rather thansaid intermittent demand.

'7. In a water heating ssytem having a closed heating circuit includingheating and storage elements, a chambered chemical container, meansconnecting said container with said heating element to establish thecontainer chamber in series relation with said heating element, in acircuit which has parallel relation with the heating circuit in saidsystem, and movable means in said container separating its chamber intotwo compartments in series relation in the container circuit and ofrelatively variable volumes responsive to operation of said heatingelement.

8. In a water heating system including a heater having inlet and outletmeans arranged to provide upward ow through the heater, of water heatedtherein, a chemical container, and means connecting said container insaid system to provide a closed container circuit including said heaterwherein substantially the entire thermosiphonic pressure generated insaid heater may be effective to displace the container contents to- Wardthe heater inlet.

9. In a water heating system including a heater having inlet and outletmeans arranged to provide upward flow through the heater, of waterheated therein, a chemical container, means connecting said container insaid system to provide a closed container circuit including said heaterwherein substantially the entire thermosiphonic pressure generated insaid heater may be effective to displace the container contents towardthe heater inlet, and means for controlling ow in said circuit, tocontrol said chemical displacement, and including means for restrictingflow in the described direction and means automatically preventing flowin the opposite direction.

CHARLES T. FUETTERER.

